The Board has granted a 40 percent evaluation for the veteran's residuals of fracture of the right thumb, which is the maximum available under VA regulations.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence demonstrated that the veteran's right thumb disability was manifested by ankylosis and severe osteoarthritis, resulting in functional limitations equivalent to amputation of the thumb including metacarpal resection.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of fracture of the right thumb
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- February 7, 2003
- Citation
- 0302454
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,177 · Granted: 24% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0302454.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not require the use of certain prosthetic or orthopedic appliances which tend to wear or tear clothing, thus denying his claim for a clothing allowance for the year 2012.
- Whole decision: Denied
The veteran's claims for higher ratings for bronchitis, residuals of fracture of the right thumb, and residuals of stress fracture of the left tibia were denied by the Board.
- Whole decision: Denied
The evidence does not support a finding of frequent periods of hospitalization or marked interference with employment, thus the criteria for an extraschedular rating are not met.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a permanent and total disability rating for pension purposes, finding that his disabilities did not meet the criteria for such a rating prior to January 20, 1993.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.